On June 15, 2016 I departed Seoul after making the choice to not renew my contract. Pictured above are the twenty-one out of the twenty-seven people who arrived to Seoul International School with me three years ago. Some were experienced overseas educators, but most of us were neophytes to living abroad. Seven of us chose to leave this year - five went to other schools, one retired, and then there is me.
I had decided the year before that I was going to try something different. I've been in education for twenty-one years, and felt I needed a change. Or at least a battery recharge. I came to this decision one day as I was driving back from downtown Seoul. I tend to do my best thinking in the car. It was a lovely day, clear and cool - a rarity in Seoul, and without any prompting I said aloud "I'm going to leave education." This statement surprised me because I wasn't even thinking about my job at the time. But saying it aloud gave it legs, and that fledging idea began to grow. It was this idea that resulted in me not applying for the principal job at my school, even though that job was the reason I was hired. It was that thought that got me through the scary decision to not renew my contract back in October. And now that idea continues to propel me forward.
In less than two weeks I return to Asia. As luck would have it, my school provided me with a roundtrip ticket to Seoul because it was cheaper than buying a one-way ticket. On August 30th, I'll return to The Land of the Morning Calm, but only for a brief visit. My next destination is Vietnam. It is there that I hope to pursue a dream I had for many years - opening a bed and breakfast.
I had the pleasure of visiting Vietnam over my Christmas break. I traveled with my nephew Ryan, his fiancee, and my good friend Amy. It was a wonderful trip in which we started at the top of the country and puddle jumped out way to the bottom. Halfway through our journey we stopped in Hoi An, a market town forty-five minutes south of Danang - home of the infamous China Beach. All of us agreed that Hoi An was our favorite place on the trip. Part of it had to do with the luxury AirBnB we were staying in, but the other part was the town itself - a small, pedestrian market town that at night turns into a magical village of colored lights, floating candles, and wonderful food stands.
The thought of starting my own business is scary enough. The thought of starting it in a foreign country, a communist one at that, is even more terrifying, but I'm determined to move forward. As someone at my school told me as I struggled with this decision, he said it's better to take such risks at 52 rather than wait until I'm retired when I could jeopardize my savings. If all else fails, education will be still be there. With this thought in mind, I'm still looking at job opportunities as they appear in Southeast Asia. Coming July 2017 I may very well be working in a school - who knows?
I'm trying to learn to live in the void - which is not how I'm wired. This summer has been more stressful than I imagined not having to work would be. I think about money and what things costs more than before. As my checking account dwindles and no money comes in to replenish it, that's only natural. But I refuse to let my anxiety and fears stop me. Wine also helps.
So for now - the title of my blog has changed from Heart and Seoul (though the URL address remains the same) to Mekong Moments. My blog will also focus less on being an expat and more on the joys of starting a business in a foreign country. I hope my steady readers will continue to follow my adventures. I will certainly have more time on my hands to write my blog in a more timely and consistent manner!